


Running Up That Hill

by orphan_account



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Death, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-18
Updated: 2011-05-18
Packaged: 2017-10-19 12:56:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/201082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabriel comes back to life, only to discover that Sam is dead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Running Up That Hill

                To be completely honest, Gabriel was more than a little confused when he woke up in the Elysian Fields, surrounded by the burn marks his grace had left. He knew he was supposed to be dead. Lucifer had killed him. He could still feel the cold metal sliding into his stomach.

                Gabriel curiously lifted his shirt and looked at his stomach. It was completely unmarked. He was definitely back, then. But why? And what the hell was he supposed to do now? Gabriel had meant to die. He had seen what was going to happen. He thought he could handle it, but he hadn’t counted on Sam Winchester.

                The kid had grown on him. After the first time they met, Gabriel had noticed _something_ about him. So he popped ahead and snuck a glance at the future. What he had seen had…shocked him. He hadn’t been that surprised in a long time. And he sure as hell hadn’t planned on falling in love with Sam.

                But he had, so he did what he did best: he tormented Sam. He stole things from him. He left presents for him. He killed his brother and trapped him in a time loop and everything in between. And, probably most surprisingly, Sam had fallen in love with him.

                That was the reason why Gabriel hadn’t wanted to see how everything turned out. Because he knew, and he didn’t think he could stand seeing Sam hand himself over to Lucifer. Gabriel knew he took the easy way out. He knew he completely abandoned the person he cared about most. He felt like an absolute bastard for doing it.

                It was twice as bad now that he was alive again.

                Gabriel knew the only thing he could do was try to find Sam and apologize. That would be the best thing to do. He sat himself up, dusted off his jacket and started walking. Gabriel tried to find Sam, he really did. But the link they had shared, the one Gabriel had burned into Sam, was gone.

                Gabriel shrugged it off. He figured it was because he had died. Big deal. He could always re-mark Sam as his. He hoped Sam wasn’t too mad at him for dying. He didn’t know if he could stand Sam ignoring him. Not after everything that had happened.

                Gabriel took one look around the hotel and snapped his fingers. He reappeared in Heaven. It had changed considerably since he had last been there. Everything was…broken. There was evidence of a huge war. Gabriel wondered what had happened since his death.

                He spotted the familiar figure and approached him.

                “Castiel.” The angel turned. He looked worn-out.

                “Gabriel. How…” Gabriel shrugged.

                “I’m looking for Sam,” he said. “I need to talk to him.” Castiel immediately stiffened. Gabriel tilted his head to one side.

                “Can…can you show me where he is?” Castiel touched Gabriel’s forehead and suddenly he appeared outside of a house. Gabriel staggered a little, unnerved by the sudden trip. He didn’t think Castiel had that much power.

                He could have just popped in, but Gabriel walked up to the door and rang the bell instead. A kid answered. He looked a little weirded out to find a random guy standing outside his house. Gabriel knew exactly how he was feeling.

                “Uh…hi. Is Sam there?” The kid’s eyes narrowed in confusion.

                “There’s no Sam here.” It was Gabriel’s turn to wonder. Why had Castiel sent him here if-

                “Ben! What did I say about answering the door for random strangers?” Gabriel perked up. He knew that voice.

                “I’m sorry, Dean.” Dean Winchester strolled into the doorway. He put a hand on Ben’s shoulder.

                “Listen. Go play in your room or something, I’ll deal with”-he caught sight of Gabriel and stopped-“holy shit.”

                “Language,” Ben muttered, slipping past Dean and back into the house.

                “Hi,” Gabriel said slowly. Dean just stared, slack-jawed with shock. “Close your mouth, Dean, you look like a monkey.” Dean licked his lips slowly.

                “You were dead.” Gabriel nodded.

                “Understatement of the year, Dean-o. I’m looking for Sam. Where is he?” Dean sobered. He looked down at his feet.

                “Maybe you should come in.” Gabriel felt a chill. He knew that tone of voice. The one that meant whatever news followed it was not good. Dean stepped back, letting Gabriel into the house. Gabriel caught sight of a devil’s trap poking out from under the rug. He suppressed a comment.

                Dean led Gabriel to the living room and gestured to a couch. Gabriel flopped down on it. He wanted Dean to get to the point. Dean sighed and sat in a chair opposite Gabriel. He rested his head in his hands.

                “Sam is…Sam…” Dean shook his head. Gabriel felt his insides tighten. Whatever Dean was thinking, it wasn’t true. Sam couldn’t be…no. Gabriel couldn’t even say it, let alone believe it.

                “Where is he?” Dean wordlessly held out his hand. Gabriel took it, trusting Dean to lead him to the right place.

                They appeared in a graveyard. Gabriel knew this place. It was where Mary was buried. Sam had taken him here once. Dean started walking and Gabriel wordlessly trailed after him. He could feel everything going numb. He didn’t want this. He wanted to be dead. He would give anything for this not to be real.

                Dean stopped in front of a headstone. He shoved his hands in his pockets uncomfortably. Gabriel walked a little closer, kneeling in front of it.

 

Sam Winchester

May 2, 1983-June 19, 2011

Beloved brother

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

 

                “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death…” Gabriel knew that. It sounded familiar.

                “Harry Potter,” Dean said. “Fucking nerd, e-even after he died.” He laughed, but his eyes were hollow. Gabriel knew how he felt. He felt like he was shattering. He felt like everything good in this world had gone out. He felt like he should die for not protecting Sam.

                “How long…?”

                Dean swallowed hard. “About a week.” Gabriel couldn’t stop the noise that escaped his throat. One week. One fucking week. He couldn’t have come back a week earlier?

                “I…well.” Gabriel stood up, dusting off his jeans. He took a deep breath and touched Dean’s forehead, sending him back to his house. He took one last look at the grave before taking off himself.

                He found himself on top of a mountain. It was cold and sunny and he was knee deep in snow. He didn’t care about that. Gabriel sat down with a sigh, staring off into the distance. And, for the first time in a long time, he prayed.

                He prayed to a God he wasn’t sure existed anymore. He prayed to his pagan friends. He prayed in a thousand different languages. He prayed for what felt like years. He had never been good with time, though.

                “Hello?” Gabriel didn’t turn. He didn’t feel much like talking.

                “Are you okay?” Somebody walked up to stand next to him. Gabriel looked up as the stranger sat in the snow. He wasn’t dressed like a climber.

                “No,” Gabriel said honestly. Something cold and wet poked his arm. He looked down to see a dog licking his hand. He absentmindedly patted the dog’s head and it growled.

                “ _Dog_ ,” the man said, sounding a little exasperated. “Be nice.” The dog whined and curled in the snow a few feet away. An image flashed through Gabriel’s head of a much larger animal, one with slavering jaws and fangs the size of his finger and matted fur. He stifled a much ruder comment.

                “That’s a hellhound.”

                “Yep.” The stranger tilted his head to one side. “You’re not human, are you?” Gabriel laughed bitterly.

                “I’m an archangel. Name’s Gabriel.” The man nodded.

                “Gabriel. I’m Adam.” Gabriel looked sideways at Adam and nodded.

                “You’re really an archangel?”

                “Yeah, I guess. I mean, I was one before. Then I left Heaven, moonlighted as Loki for a while. Then I was a trickster. Then I died. Now I guess I’m back.” Adam mulled this over for a while.

                “I was an Antichrist,” he said finally. “I nearly caused the Apocalypse.” Gabriel raised an eyebrow. He didn’t remember this. Then again, he had spent most of the 20th century either drunk or stoned or some combination of both.

                “And?” Adam laughed.

                “I told them all to bugger off.  Wasn’t going to end the bloody world just because somebody told me I had to.” Gabriel smiled.

                “Good for you.”

                “Yeah.” They sat in silence for a while. A cloud floated overhead, obscuring the sun for a few moments. Gabriel stood up. He was soaked from the waist down, but he didn’t really care. He wouldn’t last long enough to care, anyways.

                “It’s been nice talking,” Gabriel said. Adam stood as well. “Have a good life, eh?” Adam half-smiled, but didn’t say anything. Gabriel looked down at Dog. “You too.” Dog barked once, then lay back down. Gabriel disappeared. He found himself back in the graveyard.

                Gabriel looked around the graveyard for a moment before disappearing. He went back to Dean’s house, appearing in the living room. There was a woman sitting on the couch. She jumped as Gabriel appeared. He stared at her, his eyes narrowed.

                “Where’s Dean?” he asked.

                “Who are you?” The kid Gabriel had seen earlier walked into the living room. His eyes widened when he caught sight of Gabriel.

                “Mom? What’s going on?”

                “I’m only asking once. Where’s Dean?” The woman shook her head.

                “He’s not here.” Gabriel licked his lips slowly.

                “Well I guess you’ll have to do, then.” He drew his sword and grabbed the woman. The kid shouted and Gabriel disappeared.

                He ended up back in the graveyard, dragging the woman over to Sam’s grave. He snapped his fingers, tying her up and gagging her. She wriggled, trying to escape. Gabriel stood next to her. He was prepared to wait as long as it took. If he knew anything about Dean, he wouldn’t have to wait long. She was obviously important to him, if he was living there.

                “Now what does he see in you?” Gabriel wondered aloud. The woman struggled again. She looked up at him, her eyes wide.

                “Normally I don’t do this thing, really. You seem like a nice lady. I’m not going to kill you.” The woman whimpered. Gabriel tilted his head to one side. He smiled to himself. The archangel started toying with his blade, running his fingers along the edge.

                “Gabriel.” Gabriel turned. Castiel was standing a few feet away, his own blade in hand.

                “Cas! Lovely to see you here.”

                “Let her go, Gabriel.” Gabriel looked down at the woman. “What, my friend here? I don’t think so. I think somebody has to pay for this, shouldn’t they? Dean took away the one I loved. Now I’ll take somebody in return.” He lunged towards the woman; Castiel was on him in a flash. Gabriel swung at Cas, catching him in the shoulder. The angel clapped a hand over the wound, which was starting to leak blood and grace.

                “Come on, Cas. You don’t even know her.”

                “Dean does,” Castiel hissed. “Dean loves her.” He lunged at Gabriel, who dodged neatly. Cas swung again. Gabriel disappeared and reappeared behind Castiel. He pressed the end of his sword into the angel’s back. Cas froze.

                “You’re willing to die for her?” Gabriel asked. “She’s nothing to you.” Castiel spun away and Gabriel felt something cold slide between his ribs.

                “She means something to me,” Dean said, his breath hot on Gabriel’s ear. He twisted the blade and Gabriel gasped. The archangel fell to his knees. He laughed, blood flecking his lips and chin.

                “Tricks,” Gabriel breathed. “You got me good, didn’t you?”

                “I learned from the best,” Dean replied. He had a strange expression on his face. Gabriel felt the blade pull out of him. His vision was brightening, everything going white. He knew he didn’t have much longer. Gabriel lifted his blade, shoving it into the ground. He looked up at Dean.

                “Thank you,” he whispered. Dean knelt in front of Gabriel, taking the archangel into his lap.

                “You take care of him,” he said. “You take care of him or so help me God I will come after you and make you regret everything you ever did.” Gabriel laughed again weakly. He tried to take a deep breath, lungs filling with blood instead of air. Dean lifted the bloody sword again and plunged it deep into Gabriel’s chest.

                Everything went white. Gabriel remembered how it had been the first time. He got weaker and weaker. Everything went white and then black and then he ended up somewhere very dark. He knew where he should be headed, only, there wasn’t any dark. Everything was white still.

                There was a shape breaking up the white, coming towards him. He heard the hopeful voice and felt his heart wrench. It shouldn’t hurt this much. He couldn’t be tortured like this. He couldn’t spend the rest of eternity seeing long legs and ridiculously floppy hair and green eyes. It was too much.

                “Gabriel?” Despite himself, he whimpered. He wanted to believe.

                “Gabriel!” Despite himself, he felt his spirits lift. The shape was coming towards him and it was whole and pure and _good_. And then Gabriel was surrounded by strong arms and a warm chest and fuck if it wasn’t the best hug he’d ever gotten.

                “Sammy,” he breathed. A soft kiss pressed into his hair.

                “You have to come see this,” Sam whispered. Gabriel lifted his head. His cheeks were wet. It had been such a long time since he had cried.

                “My son.” Gabriel froze. It had been millennia since he had heard that voice. Sam hesitantly let Gabriel stand on his own. The archangel took a few shaky steps. He saw the figure in the distance and almost broke down right then and there.

                “Dad,” he whispered, his voice choked with tears. His pain slowly evaporated and he found the strength to run towards the figure.

                “Gabriel.”

                “Where…where are we?” His Father smiled and Gabriel had to stop himself from breaking down right then and there. He hadn’t realized how much he had missed this.

                “Where do you want to be?” Gabriel paused for a moment. He closed his eyes and opened them. The white place was gone. Instead, they were in front of a huge Victorian house. Sam laughed to himself, taking Gabriel’s hand. Gabriel smiled and Sam tugged on his hand.

                “What are you waiting for?” Sam asked. “Let’s go.” Gabriel pushed Sam playfully.

                “Slow down, kiddo, we’ve got the rest of eternity to spend.” Sam pulled Gabriel towards the house. The archangel looked over his shoulder. A tall figure was standing on the other side of the road. He smiled and waved at Gabriel. Gabriel waved back, then allowed Sam to pull him into the house.

                “What happened, Sammy?” Gabriel asked. He gestured vaguely. “You know…back there.” Sam’s lips tightened.

                “You were in Purgatory. I…I got you out.” Gabriel squeezed Sam’s hand.

                “I…Sammy…” Sam kissed Gabriel gently.

                “I never thought. I mean.”

                “I know. It’s just.” They both laughed. Gabriel kissed Sam again.

                “I love you, kiddo.”

                “I love you too, Gabe.” Gabriel pulled Sam through the house, up the stairs, and to the bedroom. He flopped down onto the bed, Sam lying next to him. Gabriel rolled over, kissing Sam, lazily dragging his tongue over the hunter’s open mouth. Sam’s hands went to Gabriel’s hips, the archangel straddling the hunter. Gabriel kissed Sam once more, then pulled away.

                “Just one thing, Sammy.”

                “What is it?”

                “Promise me you’ll never leave me like that again.” Sam smiled, one of his thumbs tracing a path over Gabriel’s hip. His hand slipped under the archangel’s shirt, warm fingers pressing into his stomach.

                “I promise.”


End file.
